Dolphus Raymond is included in To Kill a Mockingbird because he provides a perplexing inconsistency in the traditions of Maycomb life observed by Scout. Scout is told “…he (Dolphus Raymond) owns all one side of the riverbank down there and he’s from a real family to boot.” (p.215), and acknowledges that despite his potential acceptance and prosperity with white people of Maycomb he makes a conscious decision to live with black people. The way Dolphus Raymond lives is completely contradictory to the traditions that Maycomb people tend to follow. Because Dolphus Raymond was a respectable man by Maycomb standards and chose to live with black people over white people shows Scout that there must be some appeal to black people. A well –off man from a long line of well-off men supposedly risked his marriage to have an affair with a black woman and after ruining his marriage went on to live with black people. If black people were truly inferior and a threat to a happy life why would this perfectly normal man go off and live with them? This question will inevitably come up in Scout’s analysis of Mr. Raymond’s situation and possibly force her image of black people to become less threatening and more familiar in addition to feeding her curiosity about the isolated peoples.
Aunt Alexandra’ s frequent ancestral stereotypes about Maycomb people also are contradictory to Mr. Raymond’s life. He came from ancestors who lived with Maycomb tradition consistently. As far as the reader knows, the Raymond’s do not have a drinking “streak” or a living with African-American people “streak”. However, Dolphus Raymond was not confined by his background and is drunk before 8 a.m. and lives with an African-American woman. With this understood, Mr. Raymond’s situation is important for Scout to have seen because it disproves Aunt Alexandra’s immoral stereotyping and proves that one individual can go against the crowd.
Dolphus Raymond clearly contradicts with the reality Scout had become familiar with. How, if at all, do you think this might impact her? Do you think Dolphus Raymond’s story is important for Scout to know?
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Over the course of the book, events always strike Scout with unfamiliarity and confusion along with opposing thoughts. For example, Arthur Radley was rumored by the entire town except for a few to be a maniac who stabbed his father with a pair of scissors, however, Atticus and Miss Maudie had differing opinions forcing Scout to choose her morals, ending with the fire scene. In this case, there are the racist people, versus Dolphus Raymond, Atticus, and the African-Americans. Going back to the part with Uncle Jack, Atticus always wanted to make sure both sides of the story were seen and then make a final decision. Dolphus Raymond's story is essential for Scout to know in order to see both sides, and make her own decisions about the African-Americans. However, in the very beginning of the book, Atticus decided that both of them were right about what led to Jem's arm being broken. What could this mean?
ReplyDeleteFirst of all i agree with all your ideas Justin. I think its important that you touched on the idea that Dolphus Raymond is an example of someone that does not conform to Maycomb. This is the first time Scout has really seen a true action of integration and its very important that she sees that. She has to learn places and people are different than the typical Maycomb citizen. And learning this is a huge part of Scout's growth of maturity. I agree with what Brian said when he touched on the point that Atticus wants Jem and Scout to see both sides of an argument or issue. Now that Scout has seen the other kind of society in Maycomb she can decide which side of the issue of Segregation she wants to be on.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Justin, Brace, and Brian that Dolphus Raymond represents another side of Maycomb, one that accepts the black population as equals. Also, Raymond brings up the issue of "mixed" children between Scout, Jem, and Dill. The mixed children, having both black and white heritage, aren't accepted by either side and represent how some people in Maycomb don't fit in. This relates to Boo Radley, who is separated from the rest of Maycomb; he is an outcast. I think that the idea of the mixed children that comes along with Dolphus Raymond helps Scout, Jem, and Dill understand Boo a little better, along with the general segregation custom to Maycomb. Why are the mixed children not accepted in the black side of Maycomb?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Justin's analysis. I also think it is interesting that he mentions Aunt Alexandra's stereotypes in comparison to Dolphus Raymond. I think that Raymond is a crucial example of an individual who chooses not to assimilate with the affluent white Southerners. I think initially Raymond confuses Scout because he contradicts Aunt Alexandra's approach to Maycomb County. When she questions Jem about Dolphus' peculiar lifestyle, Scout begins to grapple with the concept of races mixing in Maycomb.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that because Raymond is a particularly vulgar character that Scout will associate a negative connotation with the mixing of races?
Justin brings up some good points. But I am not sure if Dolphus stays in the black community because he chooses to, or because he is not fully accepted into the white community anymore. As Jem said "... a drop of negro blood, that makes you all black."(pg 216) Dolphus may not be black at all, but has created a family with a black woman. This would create a huge controversy in Maycomb. Especially with his having so many mixed children, who do not have a place where they belong in Maycomb. Dolphus strengthens the poignancy of racial segregation that is present in the county.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think Dolphus stays in the black community?
I think Bob Ewell’s death, and the actions that lead up to it, are symbolic of the despondency and desperateness that his inheritance and isolation brought upon him. Bob Ewell did not have a reason to live after the Tom Robinson trial had brought him little glory and no respect. He could not secure a job, his wife had passed away, his living conditions were terrible, he could not take care of his family, he was dependent on alcohol, he had no respect from other people, and as these problems fed of each other and grew they became impossible to assuage. Bob Ewell grew up as an Ewell, and in Maycomb that meant he was confined to the unpleasant life he inherited. Maycomb merely isolated the family and gave the Ewell’s enough money so they could continue their ways and survive. His one chance at something better was in the courtroom. In a courtroom, as Atticus said, all men are (should be) equal. When Bob Ewell accused a black man of raping a white woman, it seemed all of Maycomb would finally listen to him. If all went well, Maycomb would rally behind him and he could step out of the dump he was trapped in and be accepted by people. Maybe he could even be a hero. But, as Atticus revealed the monstrosities that really took place at the Ewells, the only thing that drove Tom Robinson to execution was racism. Atticus had killed Bob Ewell’s last hope. Bob Ewell was not even strong enough to do anything more than threaten Atticus. He failed in stealing from the judge of the trial, hurting Tom Robinson’s wife, and his last forlorn actions were attacking Atticus’ children and killing himself. In Maycomb, this is not surprising. He was an Ewell just like Tom Robinson was black. He was segregated from the town and he was limited to one way of life. Just like Tom Robinson he was “ licked” from the beginning and both men died framed by the ugly image Maycomb had labeled them with.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that strikes me as odd is why Scout never talks to Atticus about what she found out about Dolphus Raymond. It would seem in her character to discuss it with Atticus yet she never mentions it. He does ask them to not tell but it seems a curious amount of loyalty to someone she barely knows.
ReplyDelete